stever

We have reservations for the Naples Doubletree Hotel at a reasonable $155 a night from 2/12-2/16 because 2 months ago, we couldn't get the Hyatt at Bonita Springs on Priceline and the rooms were WAY over $250 a night through Hyatt. We bid up to $150 and just gave up, every 72 hours. Now it's 2 months later and closer to our actual date of travel (this Saturday!). Is it worth trying Priceline again for a resort room in the Bonita Springs area? CAN you try Priceline again after you've already tried it once before for a specific date?

OR, is Naples a better base anyway because of the nightlife/dining in Naples and the surrounding area and easier access to Sanibel for a daytrip to see that beach area? Bonita's Hyatt looked great, but it IS 45 minutes from the "action". We like the action, but we also like "killer" hotel rooms and resorts. Coconut Point Hyatt looked incredible...

Any ideas? Should we just keep the Doubletree which gets perfectly decent reviews on Trip Advisor or try again for a Priceline room at the Hyatt Coconut Point (Bonita Springs)? We like the beach for small periods of time, we like shopping (well, she does mostly), museums (I do, not her ) though I doubt there's many anywhere around there, and movies in the late afternoon (when my wife is napping), though that's not THAT important, the movie part - just a sweet bonus as I live for movies, yes, even on vacation.

Thanks in advance,
Steve R
Maryland

Tandoori_Girl

Well, I'd rather be in Naples. There's something to do there, nice walking downtown. But Patrick's the authority there.

There are some great museums in St. Pete which is a couple of hours north. The St. Pete Museum of Fine Arts now has an exhibit of Monet's London. And the Dali Museum is wonderful. There is an exhibit scheduled to begin soon at the SP International Museum on Princess Diana.

Patrick

I think you are a bit confused. The Doubletree is NOT in Naples. It is at least a half hour north of "downtown" Naples at this time of year, more than half way between downtown Naples and the Hyatt. So the idea of taking the Doubletree over the Hyatt really has nothing to do with "culturally dead". Frankly the Doubletree is in the "middle of nowhere" except it has a nice setting on a little river, and is on busy US 41. You are going to drive anywhere you go from either location.

So the bottom line is, which would you rather do, drive at least 30 minutes into Naples staying at the Doubletree, or drive an extra 15 minutes and stay at the Hyatt? Also consider that the Hyatt has more facilities right there, plus the boat shuttle to the beach, which is a lot closer to the Hyatt than the beach is to the Doubletree.

On the other hand, everyone here is talking about the incredibibly busy season we're having tourist-wise, so I wouldn't get my heart set on any great discounts at the Hyatt, with priceline or anyone else. In fact, I'd be quite surprised if the Hyatt isn't already well sold out for Valentine's Day.

OO

Room rates for those dates are $365 now on Hyatt.com so I'd bet the farm there is no availability on Priceline. If Tampa is any indication, tourism is booming all around FL. I haven't seen our hotel go on PCLN in months and it is hopping just about all the time. But...all that can happen is that your bid will fail, so why not try. I wouldn't start too low and waste your free rebids though!

Coconut Point is a destination resort and really is fantastic--my favorite Hyatt in FL, but it is a heck of a drive into Naples, even off season when we go. Haha...doesn't stop me from going, but 41 will make you crazy!!

stever

Thanks folks. I didn't realize that the Doubletree was THAT far from Naples. I thought it was a mile or so from the beach... maybe I was totally wrong on that too! It's just that the price is SO right ($155 a night).

We're saving our big budget hotels for the Four Seasons Maui and Hualalai this Sept in Hawaii so we didn't want to spend much more than $175 a night for a room on this trip. Hotels.com has a (Last Minute Island View" rate of $329 a nt for the Marriott Marco Island but that's STILL a bit too much for us. The Hilton Marco Island is $349 a night. I just bid on Priceline for $155 then $160 for Bonita Springs and then Marco Island and of course got nothing.

Guess we're stuck in the "middle of nowhere" at the Doubletree unless someone can come up with a better bet for $155 a night! Are there at least some decent restaurants near the Doubletree?

Thanks again,
Steve R
Maryland

Patrick

Right by Doubletree is The Pewter Mug, not my favorite but, the favorite of lots of folks for many years. Basically a salad bar and steak or fish type place.
Sort of across 41 and down a little side road, back on the river is the Cochatchee Bay House, a neat Olde Florida type building with an average sort of menu. Not bad, just nothing great in my opinion except the atmosphere.
You can go north not too far to Roy's by Bonita Bay and a little further is Chops. A lot of the major chains like Carrabba's are also in the Bonita Bay area. The other good news is that traffic tends to be "less bad" at night, so it isn't all that far down to Fifth Avenue or Third Street South in Naples.

I recently looked for some other folks for hotels more in Naples and was having a hard time finding anything for under about $300 a night -- not even on the beach. There just don't seem to be any "deals" this season in Naples.

stever

As usual, thanks, Patrick. We don't mind driving for some REALLY good but reasonable food. I'm guessing Roy's fits that bill? Any other midpriced eating that isn't very expensive? Midprice as in Houston's Restaurant type pricing, if you have those down there?

We just called the Doubletree and they say they're only a mile or 2 from the beach. That's fine for us! To us, the middle of nowhere is literally, the middle of nowhere (ie: Marfa, Texas)

Thanks,
Steve R
Maryland

Patrick

No Houston's here, but the above mentioned Carrabba's really is good food at very reasonable prices. Go late to avoid waiting an hour as they don't take reservations.
Over on the beach at Vanderbilt, (the nearest beach to you, I'd say) is the Turtle Club, just north of the Ritz Carlton. You literally sit on the beach if you do an outside table and the food is both good and reasonable. My favorite really laid back place is almost right across the street from there on the bay side -- Buzz's Lighthouse, where you can sit on the deck over the water and get a great grouper rueben. Someone mentioned Iguana Mia just the other day, which is at the big intersection of 41 and Bonita Beach Road, lively and fun for Mexican.

stever

Thanks again Patick. I just cut and pasted all the info you posted and will bring it with us when we go this weekend. Can't wait to try some of your restaurant pics. We live to eat and for our vacations, yet at the end of the vacations, invariably all we want to do is get back home asap, sleep in our own bed, play with our cats, and watch tv at home.

It's our 1st time in the Naples area. Can't wait to get away, though it almost hit 60 degrees here in Maryland today so it's not like we're escaping polar climes. It's always best to leave DC in the winter when it's frigid out, so it seems like we're beating the ice age

I am so excited... I love to go on vacation where I don't have to bring my work and it's all about NOT answering the phone, emails, feeding the cats, collecting the mail, bringing out the garbage, cleaning our cars, etc. I work 7 days a week in sales (mostly just returning phone calls over the weekend, but it's still work). Only 21 more years till retirement at 65! Yippee kayay - yahoooooooo! So close, yet so far.

Steve R
Maryland

babs001

My inlaws live in Naples and we have gone there for years. We don't stay downtown where most of the action is located, but in an area near/in Park Shore. It's a condo complex which suits us called Park Shore Resort. The units are being refurbished and most have the requisite granite in the kitchen, etc. They are managed by a company called Sunstream, I believe. Sunstream also has 3 or 4 other complexes in the area.
We like the Park Shore Resort for several reasons. Shopping is nearby. A Publix, Walgreens, health food store/ cafe, 6 or 7 restaurants, beauty shops, doctor, dentist, etc, within walking distance. The Waterside Shops (upscale mall) about two minutes by car. Trolley with off/on priveleges stops at PSR. Beach access about 5 minutes away by Registry Hotel. Philharmonic Hall and art museum next to Waterside. The drive downtown to more restaurants, community theatre, etc, in Feb, will probably take 20-30 min. Roys is the other direction, probably more like 30-40 min. I really don't have a handle on times now that the Trail has been widened and the horror of construction finally seems to be over. How am I doing, Patrick?

Patrick

Very good, babs. You can take over for me soon. I'm making you my "apprentice". LOL The Park Shore Resort is a good place, but not under $200 in season, to me knowledge.

Traffic has to be exceptionally bad to take a half hour from Park Shore Resort to Fifth Avenue, but 20 minutes is pretty possible. And I may have been optimistic on my half hour estimate from Doubletree to downtown. It all depends on how you hit all those lights and if there has been a wreck or stall along the way.

LindainOhio

We have just booked lodging in the area with only a week's notice and were looking for places under $200. We leave Wed. If you would like to be closer to Naples,the Holiday Inn on Tamiami had availability at $129/$144AAA for a poolside room. It's right on the road but has a landscaped pool area and gets ok reviews on tripadvisor.com.
I also thought the Sunstream Resorts looked nice www.sunstream.com--they had availability and were close to $200/nt with internet specials. They also have a promo code 2005FLAUSA--don't know if this would give you a better rate than the internet rate.
The Vanderbilt Beach Hotel had availability--not plush but a great location right on a great beach. I like their Chickee Bar. We would walk down there for lunch when we stayed at LaPlaya.
There was also availability at the Inn at Pelican Bay---not on the water but close to Vanderbilt Beach.
We have not stayed at any of these places.
If you have never been to the area, I think you would enjoy Sanibel. That's where we are staying. From all reports, it is recovering from the hurricane. The Waterside Inn had availability--units under $200 and the complex has pools and is on the beach. I found a great site www.sanibelsmallinns.com where you could send one email for your reservation inquiry. Sanibel Central Reservations is also very helpful www.cenresfl.com or 1-800-325-1352.
Many of our friends here in Akron have winter places in Naples--we will be staying on Sanibel and then staying with friends--nice break from winter. Weather report looks good but see the red tide is moving in--it is reported to be a small bloom.
I thought I posted this last night--I don't know what I did. If this is posted somewhere else-I apologize.

stever

Thanks y'all for that additional info. I checked out the Vanderbilt Beach Hotel and while the location is great, the rooms looked VERY small. I like the idea of getting a larger suite room at the Doubletree and just driving farther. We love having a semi-luxe hotel experience and the Vanderbilt wouldn't work for us.

We also checked out the wonderfully reviewed Holiday Inn Naples on Tamiami Trail. It looks to be about the same price as the Doubletree - $145 a night for a poolside room.

The Doubletree had good reviews too (ie: The view of the lake is wonderful. Next time we stay my husband will make sure to bring his fishing pole. They still have those wonderful cookies at check in. Also free internet in the business center helped me to stay in touch with my co-workers and family. My room was spotless and the staff were really wonderful. They even allowed me to heat up some leftovers in the employee lounge(since the rooms don't have microwaves). Just all around a very nice hotel-very nice staff-excellent location also. I will most definetly be staying here when we come back in January."

What do you think... Holiday Inn vs Doubletree Suites? Wouldn't the Doubletree be alot nicer experience, or no?

Steve R
Maryland

Patrick

I've seen rooms at both. The rooms at Doubletree are far superior in every way to the ones at the Holiday Inn, your assessments are all correct.
If the driving doesn't bother you, I'd stay with the Doubletree.

By the way, the Doubletree isn't on a lake, it's on the Cocohatchee River. I failed to mention that right across the road is a rather new boat attraction on the river, which might be interesting.

stever

Thanks Patrick. You are a great resource on the board, here! I guess it's settled then - Doubletree Naples bound we are. I was told to take Rt 41 from the east coast (we're coming from the Ft Lauderdale airport on Friday around noon) instead of the faster I-75 as Rt 41 is more scenic and interesting. Do you concur with this? Or should we just hightale it on over on I-75?

I will definitely write a "Just Back" report describing our experiences so it may help others who plan to go in the future. The Sheraton on Biscayne Bay we're staying at in Miami for free for 4 nights from cheap Starwood pts (Feb 16-20) had gotten abyssmal reviews on Trip Advisor recently, so I guess we might be "slumming" there! I love it when the last 5 reviews are awful, our expectations are low at arrival, and when we check into our room and it's not bad at all - it makes us very happy.

Steve R
Maryland

Patrick

NO. NO. NO.
I often suggest people take 41 from MIAMI airport over to Naples as the more scenic route. But it is way out of your way to go all the way down to Miami and get to 41 from the Lauderdale airport. Do take I-75 (Alligator Alley) straight across from the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. The signs are easy to follow. (You want I-75 North to Naples, even though you are actually going due west). After you come through the western toll booth (but you don't pay a toll exiting Alligator Alley) you will want to go the the third exit from I-75, which is Immokalee Road. (I'm sorry I don't know the new exit numbers -- it used to be exit 17, but it is no longer marked that way). You take that third exit and follow it to the west to 41, turn right on 41, then go north a mile or so to find the Doubletree on your right.

stever

Sweeeet! Thanks Patrick. Have you ever considered running for office? I'd vote for you based on your public service on this board alone! Great info. So we WILL take I-75 to Naples from the Ft Lauderdale airport. Should we take 41 back to Miami from Naples for our 4 nights in Miami? I'm guessing... yes?

You saved us a LONG drive out of the way to Naples from Ft Lauderdale.

Steve R
Maryland

Patrick

Oh, yes, I meant to say that!!

rxtennis

You might want to check these places for cancellation and prices, much better choices than the doubletree where you have to drive everywhere. Traffic is really a nightmare. Trianon in bonita springs within walking of shops and restaurants including roys.I have stayed there beach is a 5 mile (40 minute) drive. The inn of 5th really has it all. Several rooms in the front open onto a balcony overing looking the shops on 5th ave. The beach is a 1/2 mile walk. I got a really good rate for my anniversay AAA but that was off season and we were upgraded to a beautiful suite. If you stay in north naples, Shula's steakhouse has good food they are in the Hilton in north naples

rxtennis

oh phone number to trianon is 239-948-4400. Inn of 5th is 239-403-8777